1. Technical Field of the Invention
This invention relates to compositions for treating acne and conditioning the skin cells in patients. The invention further relates to methods of treating acne and conditioning skin cells by administering the compositions to a patient.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The mammalian skin, in particular, human skin, is a multifunctional organ. Not only does the skin provide an external covering to protect the body, but it also performs several specialized functions, such as breathing, perspiring, sensory information processing, and oil production. Oil production, essential to the protective features of the skin, works when an oily substance known as sebum is released from the sebaceous glands, which are large glands located at the base of a hair follicle. This permits the skin to moisturize and waterproof itself, thereby protecting itself from the environment.
Unfortunately, puberty adversely affects the production of sebum, which in some cases is caused by increased levels of testosterone in both males and females. For example, testosterone stimulates the sebaceous glands accompanying the hair follicles. In response, these glands become enlarged and begin to secrete more sebum than usual. Also, testosterone causes the cells lining a pore to release more keratin, an insoluble protein that is the primary constituent of the hair and the epidermis. Together, the sebum and keratin block a skin pore, resulting in a blackhead. In some instances the blocked pore becomes inflamed resulting in pustules or pimples. This condition is typically known as acne vulgaris. This response is especially prevalent on the face, back, and shoulders, where a greater number of sebaceous glands exist.
Acne conglobate, more commonly known as nodular or cystic acne, is a more severe form of acne than acne vulgaris. In the case of nodular acne, the sebum builds up in the gland, mixes with dead cells, and eventually ruptures the follicle wall, which typically forms a deep cyst under the skin. Scarring often results from these deep cysts. Also, acne not only affects a person's appearance, but sometimes has detrimental affects on the person's psychological, social, and occupational status. Present methods of treating acne attempt to address the three separate causes of acne: excess sebum production, keratinization disorders, and increases in the bacteria Propionibacterium acnes (P. acne).
P. acne is a gram-positive, non-spore forming, anaerobic rod bacteria. It is a common resident of the skin's pores and can also live in the oil glands of the human skin. In the pore, it usually resides at the bottom of the pore where the oil duct comes in, because its food source is the sebum or skin oil produced by the oil gland.
The p. acne bacteria release lipases to digest the sebum, which has been produced by the oil gland and “delivered” to the pore. The combination of the enzymes and digestive products given off stimulates an intense local inflammation of the cells lining the pore. This inflammation then bursts the hair follicle or pore, especially when the pore opening has been clogged by a mixture of oil and dead skin cells, which has formed a hardened “blackhead.”
Once this pore bursts from the inflammation, a cyst may form under the skin, or a lesion may develop on the surface of the skin in the form of a pustule.
Because the p. acne bacteria depend upon skin oil or sebum for the food source, it stands to reason that individuals with the highest level of oil production (e.g., teenagers) are commonly the most affected by acne.
Another factor in acne vulgaris is an individual's pore shape, where “v” shaped pores vent oil, skin cell debris and sources of inflammation much more easily than pores which are “pyramid” shaped. With only a small opening at the top, the latter are much more prone to trapping oil, debris and bacteria, which result in inflammation, broken pore walls and lesions. Since not much can be done about the shape of an individual's pores, it is important that any acne treatment focus on removing oil and debris and killing relevant bacteria.
Methods of addressing acne commonly attempt to curb acne by mitigating the effects of sebum through agents such as alcohol, hydrogen peroxide, salicylic acid and benzoyl peroxide. Additionally, antibiotics, applied topically or orally, such as erythromycin or tetracycline are commonly used to control the bacteria. Use of antibiotics leads to overly dry skin, and relapse is common after treatment has ended.
Vitamins and herbs have also been used to treat acne. Vitamin A has proven to be effective in treating acne. Unfortunately, side effects often result from treatment using vitamin A, and patients need to be monitored carefully. Monthly testing of the patient's liver, lipids and glucose is necessary to monitor the response to vitamin A. A popular acne treatment involves the use of isotretinoin (marketed as Accutane®), a retinoid that is related to both retinoic acid and retinol (vitmain A). Also, herbs, such as sassafras and elder flowers, used both individually and in combination have been found to provide effective acne treatment. Additionally, herbs possessing antibiotic properties, such as burdock root and horsetail, may individually aid in the treatment of skin blemishes caused by acne.
Although the above references disclose methods of treating acne, the treatments often involve adverse side effects, such as overdrying of the skin. Furthermore, the above treatments simply address the acne and fail to condition the skin cells to assist in the treatment and to reduce further incidences of acne. Thus, it is desired to find compositions and methods for treating acne by administering the compositions and conditioning the skin to inhibit further acne outbreaks without the adverse side effects present in many conventional acne treatments. The present invention, through a composition comprising chlorine dioxide or chlorine dioxide generating compounds advantageously treats acne without adverse side effects, and conditions skin cells to reduce the likelihood of further acne.